The Higher Learning Commission

Higher Learning Commission

HLC operating area
Abbreviation	HLC
Predecessor	North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Formation	2001
Purpose	Higher education accreditation
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois
Region served	Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Main organ	Board of Directors
Affiliations	CHEA
Website	hlcommission.org

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an organization tasked with the regional accreditation responsibilities for post-secondary education institutions in the central United States. The Higher Learning Commission oversees the accreditation of degree-granting colleges and universities in nineteen mostly Midwestern and South-Central states, namely Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The headquarters of the organization is based in Chicago, Illinois.

The United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognize the Commission as the assigned regional accrediting organization. HLC grew out of the higher education division of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The NCA dissolved in 2014.